21 July 2007

Sharp Zaurus SL-C3200

The Sharp Zaurus SL-C3200 is the sixth generation of the groundbreaking SL-C line of LINUX-based PDAs. The internal 6 GB drive offers unparalleled storage and opens up new options--including using the Zaurus as a portable media player. The C3200 has both compact flash and SD slots. And, since the Zaurus's HDD is plug-n-play recognized by Windows, moving data is by USB 2.0 connection is fast and easy. Rather than running a somewhat limited PDA operating system, it runs Linux which means the CPU and RAM are the only real limit for running Linux applications. Linux apps must be recompiled to run on the Zaurus but that's not a daunting task, and we've seen many useful ports and open source software for the Z emerge over the years. In fact, there are several ROMs available for the Z as well.


The Zaurus runs Lineo Linux with kernel 2.4.20 and Qtopia window manager. It includes a 3.7" VGA (640x480) screen including an optional VGA-out connection. There is also a built-in zoom function that allows zooming into the screen in five increments. Each step is larger than the previous, but none suffers any loss of quality. The screen's orientation automatically adjusts when swiveled. It's a very impressive design. Similar to the HTC Universal models, the swiveling screen transforms the shape of the Zaurus from PDA-style to laptop-style. Other technical specs include an Intel XScale PXA270 processor (416 MHz), 64mb RAM, and 128mb flash ROM. The two slots (1 CF, 1 SD) are I/O, so they support wireless connectivity (such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi). There is a stereo-out for MP3 playback. The Zaurus SL-C3200 measures 4.9x3.4x1.0 inches (124x87x25mm), and weighs 0.65 pounds (298g).

More information:

http://www.mobiletechreview.com/Sharp-Zaurus-C3200.htm

http://www.dynamism.com/sl-c3000/main.shtml